NEW: Smiley Calls for All Providence Police to Carry Naloxone

Mayoral candidate Brett Smiley today called for the Providence Police to follow the example of the Rhode Island State Police and carry Naloxone, a fast-acting antidote to opiate overdose, in every cruiser.

Smiley's statement comes on the heels of the announcement by the Rhode Island Department of Health that the state has seen thirty-eight drug overdoses already so far in 2014. Craig Stanning, director of the Department of Behavior Healthcare, said last week that the Department had issued "emergency regulations" that "require that all substance abuse and mental health treatment agencies in Rhode Island have their staff be educated around overdoses and the use of Naloxone and then to provide that education to all of their patients.”

Smiley said, "This is a matter of common sense. Police officers, by the nature of their work, may confront life-or-death situations with victims of drug overdose, and they should be armed with the right tools to provide the necessary assistance. Overdose is a serious problem, and we need to address it with the same attention and urgency with which we address violent crimes and other deadly situations…This is a solution that goes hand-in-hand with putting more officers on our streets, making sure that officers are able to respond to situations in a timely and effective manner. I applaud the State Police for making naloxone available to all officers, and I urge the Providence Police to follow their lead.”

Related Slideshow: New England States with Highest Marijuana Arrest Rates